Loose-leaf index file



Apr. 3, 1923.'

1,450,304 4. T. QUIGLEYv I LOOSE' LEA INDEX FILE 4 Filed Nov. 16, 1914 2sheetsLsheet 2 Witnsses: Invnor-j ,n/Vg. JohnT @zeig M by 5? Mmys all'Patented pr. i3, 1923.

TOEN QUIGLEY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,TO COSTMETER COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF yMASSACHUSETTS.

Loose-LEAF INDEX FILE.

Application led November To all whom it may convent.'

Be it known that I, JOHN T. QUIGLEY, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Boston, county ofSuffolk, and State of Massachusetts(whose post-office address is 9 Norway St., Boston, Mass), have inventedan Improvement in Loose-Leaf Index Files, of which the followingdescription, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is aspecification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to indexes and files and is more especiallyconcerned with a loose-leaf, visible-index file of that type in whichthe successive leaves overlie one another in such a manner that theirmargins present their index bearing edges in one plane so that the indexnumbers, and names, or subject matter, may be scanned quickly withouthandling them. One advantage is that the absence of any sheet from itsholder or binding element is visually indicated by the mere absence ofthe edge of the sheet from its place, t-hus guiding the user to theprecise point in the series to which the sheet should be restored.

My invention will be best understood b-y reference to the followingspecification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings ofone illustrative embodiment thereof, while its scope will be moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

'In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a loose-leaf, visible-index fileembodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a. sectional view, on an enlarged scale, on line 2 2 of Fig.1,;

FFig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3 3 of Fig. 4 is a sectional viewo-n line 4 4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating one method of inserting aholding member into the perforations of its leaf;

Fig. 6 is a plan of a leaf unfolded and with its holding member in placein its per forations; and

Fig. 7 is an edge view of a leaf and its holding member on an enlargedscale.

Referring to the drawings, and to the embodiment of my invention which Ihave selected for illustration, I have there shown a loose-leaf,visible-index filecomprising a holder 10 provided with opposed channelsor grooves 11, 11 to receive a plurality of 16, 1914. Serial No.872,302.

holding members or binding elements 12 for leaves 13. The holder 10 'maybe otherwise appropriately constructed but herein compris-es a sheetmetal plate of generally rectangular form having its two longitudinaledges bent to form flanges 14, 14 turned toward each other to form thegrooves 11, l1.

Preferably the length. of the holder is such as to receive and hold adefinite number of holding members with their attached leaves, thelatter overlying one another and the lower edge of the lowermost leafterminating adjacent the lower edge of t-he holder. As a` means forlimiting the upward movement of the holding members, the holder may beprovided with appropriate means, herein in the form of sto-ps 15, 15formed by bending'the flanges 14, 14 inwardly adjacent their upper ends.The downward movement of the holding members may be defined by.appropriate means, such for example as vstops A16, 16, formed bybending the flanges 14, 14 inwardly atl a suitable distance from theirlower ends, wherebyv the lower edge of the lowermost lea-f is properlypositioned Withrelation to the lower edge of the holder and the latterforms a backing for all the lea-ves. If desired, the lower ends of theflanges may be bent inwardly the same as at 15, 15. If desired, theupper or lower edges o-r either of them may be stif'l'ened by doublingthe margin ofthe holder upon itself as at 17 to forma rib.

An important feature of my invention is the form and construction of theholding members or bindingl elements, and their mode of attachment tothe sheets. ing to the preferredl construction each holding member orbinding element comprises a flat strip 18. preferably of tempered springsteel, having a considerable degree of flexibility to enable it to beflexed with comparative freedom in one direction. to 'permit it to besprung into and out of place in the channels, but sufficiently wide asto be rigid in a direction at right angles to the first direction. Thisstrip is preferably provided at its ends with enlargements 19, 19constituting trunnions or pivots whereby the holding member with itsleaf may be swung about an axis while maintained in a definite positionwith relation to the holder vand to the otherl holding members, s0 that.

Record-f t-he leaves may be turned to and fr0 for inspection andrecording purposes and yet maintained in fixed positions with relationto the length of the holder.

The enlargements 19, 19 perform another important functiom-that ofserving as stop to lock the sheets to the holding members, as well as toposition the sheets with reference to the length of the holding membersand the width of the holder. To this end,

the enlargements are provided with abrupt shoulders 20, 20 having aspace therebetween slightly greater than the width of the sheet wherebythe latter is properly positioned (see Fig. 7

The enlargements or trunnions 19, 19 may be formed on .or attached tothe strip 18 in any appropriate manner but herein the terminal portionsof .the latter are inserted in slots 21, 21 formed in the trunnions, thelatter then being subjected to pressure to cause it to grip the strip sotightly as to unite the trunnions'with the strip in a permanent anddurable manner.

Each of the holding members may be removably attached to its leaf in anysuitable manner, as for example by providing the latter with twoperforations 22, 22, through which the member may be passed, after whichthe shoulders 20, 20 will lock theivmember in place until it isintentionally removed. The insertion of the holding member in the holesin the sheet may be accomplished by bending or buckling the' latter, orthe holding member may be iiexed or bent, as illustrated in Fig. 5,until its ends can be inserted in the perforations. This may beaccomplished conveniently by the use of one hand to manipulate theholding member and the other hand to hold the sheet. The removal of thesheet and its holding member from and its replacement in the channels ofthe holder may be accomplished in a similar manner by flexing both thesheet and holding member.

The sheet might be single, if desired, but is herein shown folded, andif desired, both portions may be of equal length when folded. The sheet,when folded, will be creased preferably along a line approximatelytangent to the perforations 22, 22, so that the edge of the strip 18will `lit snugly into the fold and constitute a reinforcement which willeffectually prevent the sheet from becoming torn with ordinarily carefulhandling, and even when subjected to considerable strain. In fact, witha sheet of ordinary thickness its strength is so great, when attached tothe holding member in the described manner, that the entire index may belifted and sustained by one leaf.

It will now be apparent that the described index has many advantageswhich will commend it to the user. It combines the advantages of aloose-leaf system with those of a visible' index, the filing andindexing means being combined through the use of a separable bindingelement, capable of repeated and unlimited use with successive leaves.It also possesses the advantage of facility of handling and reversingthe leaves, yet with perfect security of the leaf when in place. O'neequipment of holders and binding elements may be used indefinitelywithout deterioration, on successive complete sets of new paper. Anotheradvantage is that comparatively thin and inexpensive paper may be usedwith results equal tol those obtained in the use of expensive, strongpaper. Still another advantage is that the sheets with the bindingelements removed, may be prepared on a typewriter and then replaced.

While I have herein shown and described one form or embodiment of myinvention for illustrative purposes, and have disclosed and discussed indetail the construction and arrangement incidental to one specificapplication thereof, it is to be understood that the invention islimited neither to the mere details or relative arrangement of parts,nor to its specific embodiment herein shown, but that extensivedeviations from the illustrat. ed form or embodiment of the inventionmay be made without departing from the principles thereof.

Having thus described one embodiment of my invention, what I claim anddesire by Letters Patent to procure is:

1. In an adjustable index or file, the combination of a holder presentintwo sup-f ports, an elongated supporting e ement held by said holder andoverlapped by said supports, and a record-receiving element directlyinterlocking with andsupported by said supporting element, one of saidelements having provision to flex into and out of interlockingrelationship with the other, and said supporting element having meansinterlocked with and positioning said record-receiving elementintermediate and out of engagement with said supports.

2. lThe combination with a sheet of flexible material, of a memberremovably attached thereto and provided'with shoulders facing each otherand between which the sheet is interposed and positioned lengthwise ofsaid .memben 3. The combination with a sheet of flexible material, of aflexible member removably attached thereto and provided with shouldersfacing each other and between which the sheet is interposed andpositioned lengthwise of said member.

4. The combination with ,a sheet of {iexible material provided withperforations, of a flexible member extending through said perforationsand provided -with shoulders facing each other and between which thesheet is interposed and positioned lengthwise of said member.

against the face ofthe sheet, and trunnions at its terminal portionsprovided with shoulders facing each other and between which the sheet isinterposed.

7 A sheet holding device for index sheets comprising a flexible strip,and tru-nnions provided with openings 'into which the terminal portionsof said strip are received, said trunnions being held in place on saidstrip by reason of the frictional engagement of said strip with thewalls of said openings.

8. A sheet'holding device for index sheets comprising a thin flexiblemetallic strip, and trunnions provided with openings in which theterminal portions of said strip are received.

9. A sheet holding device for index sheets comprising a flexibletempered spring steel strip, and trunnions provided with-openings inwhich the terminal portions of said strip are received. v

10. In an adjustable index or file, the combination of a pluralityv ofsheets having fiexible holding or binding members, and a holder thereforprovided with opposed channels into which said members extend at theiropposite ends, said holder having stop means adjacent one edge to limitthe movement of said members toward such edge, and stop means disposedat a distance from the opposite edge approximately equal to the width ofthe sheet whose binding member is nearest such edge.

l1. In a device of the class described, Vthe combination `of a mountingpresenting guide channels, a plurality of overlapping folded sheets eachprovided with a plurality of openings adjacent to its fold, and aplurality of sheet-supporting bars guided by said channels and eachthreaded through the openings of its sheet, said bars having provisionto swing about generally parallel axes.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination of a mountingpresenting guide channels, a plurality of overlapping folded sheets eachprovided with a plurality of apertures adjacent to its fold, and aplurality of sheet-supporting bars guided by said channels vand eachthreaded through the apertures of its sheet, said bars havingcylindrical portions permitting said bars to be swung aboutgenerallyparallel axes.'

13. In a device of the class described, the, vcombination of a mountinghaving flanges presenting guides, a plurality of overlapping foldedsheets provided each with a plurality of perforations adjacent yto itsfold, and a.

plurality of sheet-supporting bars guided vby said guides and eachthreaded throughl the perfor-ations of one of saidl sheets, said of saidsheets with said flanges and said Y mounting having means to limitlengthwise movement of said bars. 1li.4 In a device of the classdescribed, the

combination of a pair of guides, a pluralityA of folded sheets havingoverlapping marf gins and provided each with a plurality of perforationsadjacent to its fold,'a plurality ofsheet-support'ing bars guided 'bysaid ides and each threaded through the pervbars having means to preventengagement orations of one of said sheets, andc'ylini drical means `tohold each bar spaced fromthe next adjacent bar while still permittingsaid sheets to be swung about parallel axes. y

15. Ina device'of the class described, the

combination of a pair of guides, a plurality of folded sheets havingoverlapped mar-r gins and provided each with a plurality of '1perforations adjacent to yits fold, a plurality of sheet-supporting bars.guided by sai-d.

guides and each threaded through the perforations of one of said sheets,vandv cylin-' drical means carried by'eachv bar to hold the same spacedfrom the next adjacent bar while still permitting said sheets to -beswung about parallel axes.

16. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a pair of guides, a pluralityv of folded sheets havingoverlapping margins and provided each with a plurality of per'-forations adjacent to its fold, a plurality of sheet-supporting barsguided by said guides los y and each threaded through the perforationsof one of said sheets, and means carried by each barto hold the samespaced fromthe next adjacent bar and to limit movement of the sheetlengthwise of the bar.

17. In an adjustable index or ile, the coinbination of a holder havingopposed channels, a plurality of binding elements having their oppositeends, respectively, terminating in said channels, and provided withshoulders disposed intermediate said channels, and a plurality of sheetsheld by said binding elements, respectively, and I'eceived between saidshoulders.

18. In an adjustable index. or -le, the combination ofa holder havingopposed channels, a plurality of binding elements having their oppositeends, respectively, termlnating in said channels, Iand provided i withshoulders facing each other and disposed intermediate said channels, anda plurality of sheets held by said'binding elements, respectively, andreceived betweenI A said shoulders.

19. In an adjustable index or file, the com' bination of a holder havingopposed channels, a plurality of binding elements having their oppositeends, respectively, terminating in said channels, and a plurality ofsheets provided with perforations through which said binding elementsare threaded, said binding elements having means to limit mrvement ofsaid sheets toward said channe s.

20. In an adjustable index or file, the combination of a holder havingflanges presenting opposed channels, a. plurality of binding elementshaving their opposite ends, respectively, terminating in said channels,and provided with shoulders disposed intermediate said channels, and aplurality of sheets held by said binding elements, respectively, andreceived bet-Ween said shoulders, said binding elements being limited bysaid holder to a lengthwise movement less than the distance from one ofsaid flanges to the adjacent shoulder.

21. In an adjustable index or file, the combination of a holder havingflanges presenting opposed channels, a plurality of binding elementshaving their opposite ends, respectively, terminating in said channels,and provided with shoulders disposed intermediate said channels, and aplurality of sheets held by said binding elements, respectively, andreceived between said shoulders, said binding elements being limited bysaid channels to a lengthwise movement less than the distance from oneof said flanges to the adjacent shoulder.

22. In an adjustable index, the combination of a holder having opposedchannels, a plurality of sheet-supporting rods provided with enlargedtrunnions adjacent opposite ends thereof mounted in said channels, and aplurality of overlapping sheets supported by said rods, respectively.

23. In an adjustable index, the combination of a holder having opposedchannels, a plurality of flexible, resilient, sheet-supporti119, wiresprovided with enlarged trunnions adjacent opposite ends thereof mountedin said channels, and a plurality of overlapping sheets supported bysaid wires, respectively.

24. In an adjustable index, the combina-- tion of a holder havingopposed channels, a plurality of sheet-supporting rodsiprovided withtrunnions adjacent opposite ends thereof mounted in said channels, saidrods being provided with shoulders `intermediate said channels, and aplurality of sheets supported by said rods, respectively, and receivedbetween said shoulders.

25. In an adjustable index, the combination of a holder having opposedchannels, a plurality of sheet-supporting rods provided with trunnionsadjacent opposite ends thereof mounted in said channels, said rods`being provided with shoulders intermediate said channels, and aplurality of sheets supported by said rods, respectively, and limited bysaid shoulders as to movement lengthwise of said rods.-

26. In an adjustable index, the combination of a holder having opposedchannels, a plurality of sheet-supporting rods provided with trunnionsadjacent opposite ends thereof mounted in said channels, said trunnionsbeing provided with shoulders intermediate said channels, and aplurality of sheets supported by said rods, respectively, and positionedby said shoulders with respect to the length of said rods.

27. In a device of the class described, the combination of a sheet, asheet-supporting rod, a pair of generally cylindrical trunnions in whichsaid rod is received, and a support for said rod.

28. In a device of the class described, the combination of a sheet, asheet-supporting rod, a pair of generally cylindrical trunnions havingaxial openings in which said rod is received, and a support for saidrod.

29. In a device of the class described, the combination of a holderhaving opposed channels, a plurality of sheet-supporting rods havingadjacent opposite ends thereof, enlarged trunnlons mounted to turn abouttheir axes in and slide longitudinally of said channels, and a pluralityof sheets supported by said rods and having overlapping margins spacedby said trunnions.

30. In an index, the combination of a pair of channels, a plurality ofwires whose terminal portions are received in said channels, a pluralityof overlapping sheets held by said wires, respectively, and cylindricalspacing means carried by said wires to maintain the latter in spacedrelationship and to maintain the overlapping margins of said sheets inproper overlapping relationship.

31. In an index, the combination of a holder, a plurality of parallelwires held by said holder and mounted to move transversely; a pluralityof overlapping sheets supported by said wires, respectively, an spacingmeans carried by said wires and having provisions to limit movement ofsaid sheets lengthwise of said wires.

32. In an index, the combination of a. holder, a plurality of parallelwires removably and replaceably held by said holder and mounted to movetransversely, a plurality of overlapping sheets supported by said,wires, respectively, and means carried by said wires and havingprovision to wedge adjacent wires apart upon the introduction of a givenWire between two others.

33. In an index, the combination of a holder, a plurality of parallelwires removably and replaceably held by said holder and mounted to movetransversely, a plu rality of overlappimgr sheets supported by,` saidwires, respectively, and spacing means Vsheets lengthwise of said wires,said means comprising generally cylindrical spacers.

35. In an index, the combination of aV holder, a plurality of parallelwires held by said holder and mounted to move transversely, a pluralityof overlapping sheets supported by said wires, respectively, and meansto maintain said wires in properly spaced relationaship and to positionsaid sheets lengthwise of said wires, said means comprising generallycylindrical spacers limiting lengthwise movement of said sheets.

36. In a file, the combination of a series of overlapping sheets, and aseries-of sheetsupports supporting said sheets, respectively, providingfor turning movement of said sheets about parallel axes, and carryingmeans spacing said supports transversely of said axes and also definingthe positions of said sheets lengthwise of said axes throughout therange of turning movement of said sheets about said axes.

37. In a file, the combination of a mounting presenting guides, a seriesof overlapping sheets, and a series of sheet-supports guided by saidguides, providing for turning movement of said sheets about parallelaxes, and carrying means spacing said supports transversely of said axesand also deining the positions of said sheets lengthwise of said axesthroughout the range of turning movement of said sheets about said axes.

38. In a file, the combination of a series of sheet supports, andaseries of overlapping sheets directly supported by said sheet supports,respectively, and mounted to turn about parallel axes from an upstandingto a depending position, said sheet-supports carrying means spacing saidsupports transversely of said axes and also defining the positions ofsaid sheets lengthwise of said axes in both upstanding and dependingpositions.

39. In a file, the combination of a series of sheet-supporting bars, anda series of overlapping sheets directly supported by and `contactingwith said bars, respectively, and

mounted to turn about parallel axes, a mounting presenting guides forsaid bars, said bars having means extending transversely of said axesand said guides, spacing said supports transversely of said axes andalso defining thev positions of said sheets lengthwise of said axes.

40. In a tile, the combination of a frame having guides presenting frontand rear guiding surfaces, a series of sheet carriers guided by'saidguides and carrying means projecting transversely therefrom'transversely of said guides whereby said carriers are prevented frommoving past each other in said guides and having sheet-positioningshoulders intermediate said guides, and a series of overlapping sheetscarried bysaid sheet carriers, respectively, and positioned by saidmeans both longitudinally and transversely or' said sheet carriers.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN T. QUIGLEY.

Witnesses:

EvERE'r'r S. EMERY, THOMAS B. BOOTH.

